The market has numerous devices to dispense potable fluids, such as water, from a hydration dispensing device, such as a hydration pack or bladder, in the hydration line. Existing hydration packs or dispensing devices have limitations for use in freezing weather, and fail to eliminate freezing in a hydration line or tube, preventing the fluid from being accessible to the user at any time, frustrating a thirsty hiker or other user who finds that the water or other potable fluid is inaccessible because the (what was thought) convenient access to the potable liquid is now frozen.
While the market has many hydration, insulation kits to delay freeze-up, none of the current devices prevent freeze-up entirely. None provide an efficient source of hydration protected from freezing conditions, with great convenience, while maintaining a continual source for hydration. The current devices do not eliminate freeze-ups or incorporate the increased convenience of having the hydration supply literally “at your fingertips” as in the invention, which may be used by the user merely by raising his or her wrist to the mouth and allowing the potable fluid to flow.
Existing products, as well, frequently have hydration lines that dangle awkwardly at the user's chest. Conventional bladder tubes and other hydration dispensing devices come with a supply line or tube placed over the user's shoulder. While convenient for drinking, the current devices dangle inconveniently against the user's body, swinging in an unsecured and uncontained manner during hiking or other activities, and in particular, striking the users' hands as they run.
There are products designed to insulate the supply lines and tubes which insulation, while somewhat effective, only slows the heat loss. With no source of heat, these products merely delay the inevitable freeze-up in the line. During extreme cold conditions, where hydration can be extremely important (such as at high altitudes where altitude sickness is a concern), products relying on insulation can be ineffective.
Other hydration pack products may attempt to provide convenience by having the hydration supply available to the user with a bite or squeeze valve on the end of the bladder or hydration line, but such valves are located inconveniently at the collar of a coat, accessed through the buttons or zipper of the coat. These products require the user exposing his or her self to the elements by removing a glove, zipping down the coat every time he or she wants a sip of water. A tactic currently used to prevent freeze-up in current devices involves users blowing air back into the hydration line. While effective in certain systems, this can introduce bacteria in the line.
Certain related art patent references disclose various types of hydration dispensing devices which teach or disclose individual features, but not all the features of the invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,276,789 to Emenheiser (“'789 patent”) discloses ball valves within the hydration lines. As well, U.S. Pat. No. 8,167,177 to Galgano (“'177 patent”) and U.S. Patent Application #2012/0048898 to Franklin et al. (“Franklin”) each teach valves positioned on the wrist or hand of a user. U.S. Patent Application #2011/0113524 to Sinder (“Sinder”) teaches passive heating to prevent freezing of the hydration line. However, no single reference found discloses all such features as well as the other features of the proposed invention.
While various references may suggest combinations in some respects, none of these references disclose all the features in combination therewith in the manner set forth in this invention. For example, none of the references teach or disclose a dedicated hydraulic line filled with an antifreeze fluid for actuating a ball valve as in the remotely actuated, or activated, valve mechanism of the invention. As well, none of the references teach a squeeze or bite bulb at the drinking end of a hydration line or tube to be used for actuating the hydration valve in any conventional hydration dispenser. A ball shaped device disclosed in the '789 patent, while disposed remotely from the drinking end of the hydration tube, appears to be a hand pump rather than a valve actuator as found in this invention. None of the related art references disclose, teach, or suggest all of the features of this invention.
None of the cited devices herein disclose modifying a hydration line or the actuating mechanism of a conventional hydration dispensing device in the manner set forth in this invention. Therefore, as noted, none of the references contain every feature of the invention, and none of these references in combination disclose or teach every feature of the invention.
The foregoing and other objectives, advantages, aspects, and features of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon consideration of the detailed description of an embodiment, presented below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.